Earlier this month, a group of eleven university students in Beijing got together to hold a small protest. Their mission was not to push for less homework or fewer partying restrictions, but to advocate for something extremely important to their bodily health and overall well-being–better sex education throughout schools in China.

Despite the enormous popularity of K-Pop, Korean food and beauty products, relations between Japan and South Korea have been strained for quite some time. In recent months, however, right wing groups have become increasingly vocal, with anti-Korean protests occurring more and more frequently, especially in areas where many Koreans congregate and live.

On 31 March in Shin-Ōkubo — a town situated just a couple of minutes away from Shinjuku on Tokyo’s Yamanote line and the location of a large Korean ethnic neighbourhood — hundreds of anti-Korean protesters marched through the streets carrying signs reading “Go back to Korea!” and labeling Koreans in Japan “cockroaches”. Thankfully, equally large numbers of liberally-minded Japanese also showed up to protest the protest.

In September, anti-Japan protests erupted in major cities in China in response to a dispute over territorial rights to the Senkaku islands (known as Diaoyu in China). Mobs angry protesters took to the streets and sought to destroy all Japanese products. Rioting protesters in Shenzen, China caused US $15,724 worth of property damage to a Japanese restaurant owned and operated by a Chinese man. Anti-Japan protesters also targeted Japanese-made cars, bashing and overturning Nissans and even senselessly beating a man for driving a Toyota during the protests.

China has seen its share of brutal attacks and acts of vandalism in the name of “patriotism.” However, one Chinese entrepreneur has found a peaceful way to express his patriotism by giving away over 5 million yuan (US $797,855) in domestically produced cars to the victims of the anti-Japan protests, complete with a gaudy, lime green presentation ceremony.

In a refreshingly mellow demonstration held on 23 September in Lushan County, Henan 3 people donned Japanese style costumes and silently knelt in front of the Spring Temple Buddha.

Kneeling side by side the two men and one woman held up a banner reading “Daiyou Islands [Chinese name for Senkaku Islands] belong to China.” with a picture of one of the disputed islands and a ridiculously enormous Chinese flag flying above it.

And you know, in spite of all this I’m not entirely sure they are supporting China.

We’re sorry you recently got caught with egg on your faces after torching a Samsung outlet. To be fair, that’s not such a crazy mistake to make. But to have us believe Swiss-based watchmaker Rolex is somehow wrapped up in the Senkaku Islands row is a little much.

Then again, far be it from us to disagree with an angry mob. Maybe you know something we don’t?

If you said Japan, you’re wrong. Samsung is actually headquartered in South Korea. But no worries, it’s just a missed trivia question. However, if you’re an angry mob hell bent on destroying all things Japanese and you make this same mistake, you’ve committed a major faux paus.

This weekend Japanese (and other) businesses in China have been the victims of a spate of arson attacks as well as vandalism and looting as anti-Japan protests have escalated to record levels since Japan and China established diplomatic ties in 1972.

As you may already know, every summer, coinciding with the anniversary of the end of World War 2, bickering of one kind or another occurs between China (and Korea) and Japan. This year, things seemed to escalate with some provocative statements by Tokyo’s governor. More recently, some activists from China traveled and tried to stage some kind of sit-in on said islands. And now, to take things further, anti-Japan protests in China have become violent.

The woman pictured above in tears was at the site of one of these protests. What happened to her? Did she do anything wrong?Read More